Criminal charges can threaten your immigration status

Michigan residents facing criminal charges may suffer numerous consequences if they are ultimately convicted, particularly with felony-level offenses. For residents who are immigrants, the consequences may be even more severe. Criminal charges can threaten your immigration status.

You may be deported

The current laws do not make it easy for immigrants to receive permanent residency status or citizenship, and some make it difficult to maintain work or school-related visas. Many things can stall your immigration goals or even result in your deportation. A criminal conviction is one of those things that can make way for deportation. While not all criminal offenses are considered grounds for removal, it doesn’t mean that even relatively minor charges should be treated lightly. 

Be careful in your approach

How you approach your criminal defense as an immigrant may have to be different than what is considered the standard. Wrong as that may seem, it is the way it is. This is why having legal counsel with experience in both criminal and immigration law on your side would be to your benefit. With the combined knowledge of both of these legal fields, your defense attorney will be able to help you make informed decisions about your criminal defense and help you understand any immigration consequences that you may face. Your attorney may also represent you in both criminal and immigration court if necessary.

Get the right help

When facing criminal charges as an immigrant, you have a lot to lose — more than the average person. Who you have on your side matters. To learn more about how an attorney with both immigration and criminal law experience can be of assistance to you, please take a moment and visit our firm’s website. 